The Albuquerque Police Department rolled out a new policy regarding lapel camera use at the end of March, ending years of controversy over a policy the U.S. Department of Justice at one time deemed "confusing."

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The new standard operating procedure was published on March 31 on the city of Albuquerque's website.

Every uniformed Albuquerque police officer is required to wear an on-body camera during his or her shift.

The old policy, updated in January of 2013, mandated every officer had to "... record each and every contact with a citizen ..."

The new policy changed a lot of things, including that requirement.

Albuquerque Police Officer's Union President Shaun Willoughby said officers have been waiting years to see a new policy.

"It's been a long time coming," Willoughby said. "The expectations in the old policy were unrealistic."

The old policy was three pages long. The new one is eight, with more specifics for officers on when they should and should not be recording during a shift.

"One thing we don't want police officers to do is to be worried about their camera," Willoughby said.

The guidelines set out different standards when officers encounter crucial situations.

The new policy states officers should start recording the "beginning of the incident..." but if it's not safe to do so, the officer should turn the camera on "at the first available opportunity when the immediate threat has dissipated..."

Willoughby said this allows APD officers discretion when their lives or lives of other officers could be at risk.

"Police work is a very fast profession," Willoughby said. "Things can go from a perfect drive down a city street in a beautiful evening, to complete and utter terror in the matter of a second."

Willoughby said other policy changes are there to protect citizens in the city, by listing specific situations where officers are not allowed to record.

These include places where people would expect a "reasonable expectation of privacy," like a hospital or a locker room.

The new policy is only in effect until September, when APD will see how things are working out, and could make more changes.